Mikko Hirvonen has closed to within 1.3s of Sebastien Loeb in the battle for victory on Wales Rally GB, the deciding round of the 2011 World Rally Championship.
The Ford driver edged his Citroen rival by 2.5s over the 10.31-kilometre run. Loeb was second fastest through the stage with Jari-Matti Latvala third in his works Fiesta.
Mads Ostberg was fourth fastest in his M-Sport Stobart Fiesta, going quicker than fellow Norwegian Petter Solberg for the second stage in a row.
Dani Sordo has crashed into a ditch in his MINI John Cooper Works WRC.
| Pos. | Driver | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | S. LOEB / D. ELENA | Citroën DS3 WRC | 32m13.5s |
| 02 | M. HIRVONEN / J. LEHTINEN | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | +1.3s |
| 03 | J. LATVALA / M. ANTTILA | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | +9.6s |
| 04 | P. SOLBERG / C. PATTERSON | Citroën DS3 WRC | +29.0s |
| 05 | M. ØSTBERG / J. ANDERSSON | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | +42.3s |
| 06 | K. MEEKE / P. NAGLE | MINI WRC | +42.7s |
| 07 | O. TÄNAK / K. SIKK | FORD Fiesta RS WRC | +1m09.7s |
| 08 | H. SOLBERG / I. MINOR | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | +1m10.4s |
| 09 | M. WILSON / S. MARTIN | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | +1m12.3s |
| 10 | D. KUIPERS / F. MICLOTTE | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | +1m36.8s |
| 11 | M. PROKOP / J. TOMÁNEK | FORD Fiesta RS WRC | +1m38.9s |
| 12 | K. RÄIKKÖNEN / K. LINDSTRÖM | Citroën DS3 WRC | +1m43.1s |
| 13 | E. NOVIKOV / D. GIRAUDET | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | +1m48.0s |
| 14 | K. BLOCK / A. GELSOMINO | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | +2m13.9s |
| 15 | K. ABBRING / L. VANNESTE | SKODA Fabia S2000 | +2m38.5s |